Government shutdown is politics at its worst

A pamphlet for the Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, sits on a table at a branch of the Metopolitan Family Health network, on Oct. 3, 2013, in Jersey City, N.J. The online marketplaces where people can sign up for Obamacare opened last week.

The failure of Congress and the president to establish a new budget is the consequence of politics at its worst. Not the politics today, but the politics that created the Affordable Care Act. This legislation was passed by Democrats in the House (not a single Republican vote), Democrats in the Senate (not a single Republican vote), and signed by a Democratic president. The full extent of the legislation was not known at the time of the enactment as many in Congress admitted to not reading the bill.

As more is learned about the ACA, more negative consequences are being realized. Unfortunately, the law is now estimated to cost twice as much as the stated cost at the time of passing and the number of pages outlining the requirements has also doubled. Businesses will adjust their hiring practices; doctors and patients will be forced into treatment protocols; hospital staffs will be cut; and medical records will be shared with the IRS. The ACA was found constitutional by the Supreme Court with the belief that the law provided equal treatment for all citizens. But with the large number of exemptions granted by the president, the equal treatment of the law is being violated. This law is constitutional in its body but not in its execution.

Yes, the government shutdown is political and its origin is a single political party forcing an unread piece of legislation to become the law.

Tom Johnson

Carmel

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Government shutdown is politics at its worst

The failure of Congress and the president to establish a new budget is the consequence of politics at its worst. Not the politics today, but the politics that created the Affordable Care Act.